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How do I open new windows instead of tabs

  • 11 replies
  • 7 have this problem
  • 31 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

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The system open all new pages in Tabs..I was wondering how to change the settings so when I click on a new link it opens in a new window

The system open all new pages in Tabs..I was wondering how to change the settings so when I click on a new link it opens in a new window

Chosen solution

You can tear off tab to a new window by slightly dragging the tab in the Firefox window to move the tab to a new window. You can also drag a tab from the Tab bar of one window to the tab bar of another window.

  • You can hold down the Shift key and left-click a link to open the link in a new window.
  • You can hold down the Ctrl key and right-click a link or middle-click the link to open the link in a new tab.
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All Replies (11)

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In Options under tabs section "uncheck" 1st option - Open new windows in a new tab instead.

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  • You can also hold down the Shift key and left-click a link to open the link in a new window.
  • A middle-click or holding down <strike>Shift</strike> Ctrl and left-click will open the link in a new tab.

Modified by cor-el

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With Firefox 24.2.0ESR , this no longer works! Middle click now opens in a new tab.

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Shift+left click does open a new window. Middle click *used* to also open in a new window, but no longer does. *I* consider this a *bug*!

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Same problem here: FireFox has lost some useful functionality!

I generally want new urls opened in a new tab; but sometimes I want them in a new window. Or sometimes I want to move the currently viewed webpage to a new window; so I can shrink it as an overlay onto another window/tab. This is handy when comparing complex images....

Sadly, the only "new window" option gives me my 12-tab homepage: which then requires closing eleven tabs and finding the requisite link or url to copy+paste into the remaining tab.

Grrr: please gimme back my simple buttons: "move (page) to new window" and "open a new (blank) window"

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Chosen Solution

You can tear off tab to a new window by slightly dragging the tab in the Firefox window to move the tab to a new window. You can also drag a tab from the Tab bar of one window to the tab bar of another window.

  • You can hold down the Shift key and left-click a link to open the link in a new window.
  • You can hold down the Ctrl key and right-click a link or middle-click the link to open the link in a new tab.
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I used to be able to drag a tab from one (reduced-size) window to another window behind it. But now that I've changed to this latest FireFox, I can't easily open a second window!

Holding the shift key and left-clicking a link opens another TAB: because of my "settings". Incidentally, when I tried this procedure on your link to.... https://support.mozilla.org/kb/Keyboard+shortcuts ..... I got a new tab which would not close! Eventually I found that this tab was, or had unwittingly become, "protected"; and I am now left wondering how that "protection" could ever be helpful, as there are several easy ways to retrieve accidentally closed tabs!

If I changed my settings to "open links in a new window", I'd get a new window with all my homepage tabs (and probably the link's related url tacked on the end.... ). And after closing all the unwanted duplicated tabs from that newly-opened window; I'd then have to remember to go back into "settings": to "open links in a new tab" again! How is that supposed to be convenient or user-friendly?

Thinking outside the Fox, I've found a temporary fix.... Although I consider this far from satisfactory; I've been shown how to open a new "private" window: shift+ctrl+p for geeks.

So, why can't a new standard window be similar one-click option?

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Sounds that you have tab related extension that are causing issues in some cases as Firefox doesn't have a way to protect tabs.

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Hi BrummagemFlash, Shift+clicking a link should always open the link in a new window regardless of your Firefox settings. That's how you override the built-in setting.

If you want a quick way to open a new window, create a bookmark for the about:blank page on your Bookmarks Toolbar, and Shift-click it to launch a new window to a blank page. Of course, if there's another page you prefer you could use that bookmark instead.

As cor-el noted, please check your extensions. If you use Tab Mix Plus, for example, make sure you are up-to-date.

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Surya Kumar's response: "In Options under tabs section "uncheck" 1st option - Open new windows in a new tab instead." is the easiest and best answer as far as I'm concerned. I unchecked it and now everything opens in the current window (not a new window) and if I want a new window I right click and choose open in a new window. I don't like tabbed browsing, and don't always want a new window open for every thing I click on.

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